Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.

More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!

Jose Rizal Hong Kong Historical Walking Tour

Unknown to many Filipinos, Jose Rizal left Europe in 1891, with newly-published El Filibusterismo (published in Ghent, Belgium with the financial aid of Valentin Ventura. In the same note, Maximo Viola financed the publication of Rizal's first novel Noli me Tangere in Berlin) and his annotation of Dr. Antonio de Morga's "Sucesos delas Islas Filipinas," to live and practice medicine (opthalmology) in Hong Kong until 1892.

Rizal requested his family, persecuted and driven out of their home in Calamba by the Spanish friars aided by the guardia civil, to join him in Hong Kong.

Written on the marker: "Dr. Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896) National hero of the Philippines Lived in this area with his family from December 1891 to June 1892."

Looking down on the granite steps where Rizal used to pass on his way to his clinic unaided by the escalators. (Try also to look for Health Cafe and Deli at 10 Shelley St. downstairs for healthy, organic treats)the view of the present place upwards with the Central Mid-level escalators, the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world, in view plus the nearby Orange Tree Restaurant

the granite steps near Lyndhurst Terrace and marker #13 of the Sun Yat-Sen Historical Trail. The old buildings are gone but these are almost the same granite steps hurdled by Rizal more than a hundred years ago.

It is noteworthy that when Rizal was living in Hong Kong, Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), instrumental in the eventual overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and acknowledged as the father of modern China, was studying medicine at the nearby Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese.

Rizal and Sun Yat-sen might have crossed paths in Hong Kong!

Going down from Rednaxela Terrace, passing through Shelley street, and Hollywood Road going to D'Aguilar Street, you'll see the marker (above) on Century Square, where Rizal's clinic used to stand.

marker states:

"Dr. Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896)
Philippine physician, poet, author and patriot practised medicine in 1891-92 in a clinic which once stood on this site"

A view of D'Aguilar environs. Modern Hong Kong does it's usual business in a hurried pace.

With thousands of Filipinos living and working in Hong Kong, it's a shame if they just pass by the marker oblivious of the man who once practiced medicine there.

Tutubi would love to thank ms. Isabel Escoda, a Hong Kong-based writer and Inquirer contributor, for guiding him in Hong Kong to these historical markers.

How to go to there:

The Mid-level escalators that pass through Rednaxela terrace can be reached via MTR at Central station Exit C. The marker on Rednaxela is near Orange Tree Restaurant whose location map on their website will guide you there. The former clinic location is near Lan Kwai Fong.

parang naguilty ako ha. when i was still in grade school, we would always have out fieldtrips in intramuros but i've never seen that business card. and when i went to hk, i've been to the temples but not to rizal's place.

his calling card is in english, but of course, hehe. i think clinic hours is the doctor's preference, then and now. and, most probably, the short hours in one clinic is due to hops to other clinics or the hospital.

This is the first time I saw markers in HongKong showing where Rizal stayed! This is really something!

I'm currently reading a book on the destruction of Manila during World War II. I'm learning a lot from this... if Limahong succeeded in its war vs the Spaniards during their early occupation here, we would have been part of China. We also encountered Dutch threats during the Spanish occupation.

I'm still early in the book and it's very enlightening. We do have a rich and colorful history.

It's interesting to note that the Hongkong government had seriously put value of "other country's" national hero's staying in their country that they really invested time and effort in putting up a marker.

Perhaps, not all country would do this.

Interesting Hongkong story and photos. I'm keen into following this series...

ferdz, applaud also some people who did the lobbying with the Hong Kong authorities

punckiliciousss, you're right. Ms. Isabel Escoda is not a tour guide. as i've said, she's a Hong Kong-based teacher and writer. I've already put the directions on how to get to the sites I've mentioned. I will also post additional Hong Kong travel tips later.

thanks for posting the info about rizal's clinic.actually i just saw the pics. of his business card and the curiosity of looking for the place in hongkong hit me.it answered all my questions in just a flick-para sa bayan david serapio-

Hi. I am Alexandra Mae Martin, researcher of ABSCBN's Maalaala Mo Kaya. I would like to ask if you have the contact number of Ms. Isabel Escoda? I would like to ask her about an article she recently wrote in Inquirer. Thank you very much!

hi Alexandra, ms Escoda wants to know more details about you and your work. what articles are you referring to? Ms. Escoda is based in HK so I only have her email address that she checks regularly. You may email me at tutubi AT backpackingphilippines DOT com

paulina, the two places are in Central walking distance actually from MTR since we merely walked. here are the HK maps centered on the two places for your reference:Rednaxela terracerednaxela terrace and D'Aguilar Std'aguilar st.